Magneto arrangement for internal combustion engine



M. J. MILLER May 14, 1957 MAGNETO ARRANGEMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINE Filed Sept; 13,1955

' INVENTOR. yer/2'77 \Z' M17]? 71 array/v5)? United States PatentMAGNETO ARRANGEMENT FOR INTERNAL CQMTBUSTION ENGINE Merlin J. Miller,Brighton, Mich.

Application September 13, 1955, Serial No. 533,959

7 Claims. (Cl.,123--149) This invention relates to, magneto ignitionsystems and has particular reference to a newand improved impulse typemagneto arrangement for internal combustion engines.

The present invention is directed to an improved mounting arrangementfor various elements of a more or less conventional impulse type magnetofor providing the ignition system of an internal combustion engine.Heretofore it has been customary to employ impulse type magnetos ininternal combustion engines with the entire magneto system disposedwithin a housing'which is mounted on some accessible part of the engine.However, the magneto takes up a considerable amount of space andarrangements of this sort have always presented the problem of locatingthe magneto at a readily accessible place within the space available forthe engine. The present invention is designed to overcome the aforesaidproblems connected with location of the magneto and is particularlysuited for use in an internal combustion engine, of the V type in whichthe cylinders are angularly related on opposite sides of the engineblock. More specifically, the invention consists of mounting the impulsecoupling and magneto rotor directly on the crankshaft of the engine andmounting a breaker and distributor mechanism on the engine above thecrankshaft and within the space between the cylinders. The resultingarrangement does not materially increase the space taken up by theengine and magneto system while providing a readily accessible locationfor the breaker and distributor mechanism.

A principal object of the. invention therefore is to provide a new andimproved magneto system for an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to. provide an improved mountingarrangement for an impulse type magneto for an internal combustionengine.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims and may be understood by reference tothe accompanying drawing, which by way of illustration shows a preferredembodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best modein which I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention.Other embodiments of the invention may be used Without departing fromthe scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the magneto system of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical circuits of themagneto system.

In the drawings, an internal combustion engine indicated at includes anengine block or housing 12 and cylinders 14 mounted thereon andangularly related to the vertical center line through the engine. Thecrankshaft 16 is journalled in bearings 18 and the connecting rods 20are journaled on the crankshaft 16 and con- "ice nected to the pistonswithin the cylinders 14. The crankshaft projects through the end wall 22of the engine housing and a flywheel 24 is secured thereon in aconventional manner. A cam shaft 26 is journaled in the housing 12 bybearings 23 and 30 and is driven from the crankshaft 16 through a gear32 keyed onto the crankshaft and a gear 34 secured on the projecting endof the cam shaft 26 and meshed with gear 32. The engine as describedthus far is more or less of a conventional type and has been selectedfor purposes of illustration only since the magneto system comprisingthe present invention may be employed in conjunction with engines ofdifferent types than that disclosed herein.

The magneto system of the present invention comprises in general animpulse coupling 40 mounted on the projecting end of the crankshaft 16so as to be driven with the flywheel 24. and crankshaft 16. A magnetorotor 42 is also mounted on the crankshaft 16 and is connected to theimpulse coupling 40 so as to be driven therefrom. The details ofconstruction of the impulse coupling 49 and the magneto rotor 42 arewell known to those skilled in the art and are not illustrated hereinsince any suitable impulse coupling may be employed in the presentmagneto system. The impulse coupling and magneto rotor are locatedwithin a casing 44 mounted on the end wall of the engine housing and thecrankshaft 16 projects through a suitable seal arrangement 45 with theflywheel 24 mounted on the crankshaft exteriorally of the housing 44 Thehousing 44 extends upwardly above the engine housing 12 between thecylinders 14 of the engine and a breaker and distributor housingindicated at 46 is suitably secured to the housing 44.

A gear 48 is secured to the rotor 42 for rotation therewith, it beingunderstood that the rotor and gear 48 are rotatably journaled on thecrankshaft 16 so as to be driven from the impulse coupling 49 in aconventional manner. An idler gear 5%) is rotatably journaled on the endof cam shaft 26 and retained thereon by a nut 52. The gear 50 is meshedwith gear i8 so as to be driven therefrom and is also meshed with a gear54 keyed onto an operating shaft 56 which is journaled in bearings 58supported by the breaker and distributor housing 46. A ball bearing 6i)located within a bearing cup 62 secured on the end of operating shaft 56engages a hardened plate 64 located on the interior of casing 44 andprovides an end thrust bearing for the shaft 56.

A pair of breaker contacts 66 located Within the housing 46 are adaptedto be opened by a cam 63 secured on shaft 56. A distributor arm 71! isalso secured on the end of shaft 56 and includes a contact 72 engaging acontact connected to the conductor leading into the distributorindicated at 74, and a rotatable contact 76 adapted upon rotation of arm70 to successively engage the points which are connected to the severalspark plugs of the engine. A condenser 78 is also located within thedistributor housing, and the construction and operation of the breakerpoints and the distributor mechanism are conventional and will be wellunderstood by those skilled in the art. It will be seen that theoperating shaft 56 for the breaker and distributor mechanism is drivenwith rotor 42 through the gears 48, 5t; and 54.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the magneto rotor42 rotates within a laminated stator core 80 and that the coil 82 issuitably secured within a housing detachably mounted on the casing 44 byclamps 84. The arrangement of the stator 83 and coil 82 illustrated inFig. 2 is for purposes of illustration only and it will be apparent thatsuch parts might be located entirely within the space in casing 44 ifdesired. The coil 82 includes a secondary winding 86 leading to thecentral connector of the distributor 74 and a primary winding 88connected in series with the breaker contacts 66.

The condenser 78 is connected in parallel with the breaker contacts 66.The wiring diagram illustrated in Fig. 3

is conventional in magneto systems of the present type and the operationof the system will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

the breaker and distributor mechanism for purposes of service andrepair. The impulse coupling and rotor add very little to the length ofthe engine, while the space within which they are located canaccommodate a relatively large diameter coupling and rotor and at thesame time the relatively great length of the breaker and distributormechanism is accommodated in a space which is readily available Withoutincreasing the height of the engine above that required for thecylinders 14.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and Itherefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth butdesire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall withinthe purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an impulse type magneto ignition system for an internal combustionengine, an impulse coupling mounted on the crankshaft of the engine, amagneto rotor mounted on said crankshaft and driven with said coupling,a distributor and breaker housing mounted above said crankshaft andadapted to contain a breaker mechanism and a distributor, an operatingshaft in said housing for operating the breaker mechanism anddistributor, and gear means providing a driving connection between saidrotor and said operating shaft.

2. In a magneto ignition system for an internal combustion engine havinga crankshaft projecting therefrom, an impulse coupling and a magnetorotor driven therewith mounted on the projecting portion of saidcrankshaft, a breaker and distributor mechanism mounted on the engine ata point remote from said coupling and rotor, said mechanism including anoperating shaft, and gear means providing a driving connection betweensaid operating shaft and said rotor.

' 3. In an impulse type magneto ignition system for an internalcombustion engine, an impulse coupling mounted on the crankshaft of theengine, a magneto rotor mounted on said crankshaft and driven with saidcoupling, a dis tributor and breaker housing mounted exteriorly of theengine and above said crankshaft, an operating shaft for the breaker anddistributor mechanism, and gear means providing a driving connectionbetween said rotor and said operating shaft.

4. In an impulse type magneto ignition system for an internal combustionengine, an impulse coupling mounted on the crankshaft of the engine,amagneto rotor mounted 6. Ina magneto ignition system for an internalcombustion engine of the V type having a crankshaft projecting therefromand the cylinders of the engine extending.

above the engine housing and angularly related thereto; an impulsecoupling and a magnetic rotor driven therewith mounted on the projectingportion of said crankshaft, a breaker and distributor mechanism mountedon the engine above said crankshaft and Within the space between saidcylinders, said mechanism including anoperating shaft disposed parallelto said crankshaft, and gear means providinga driving connection betweensaid operating shaft and said rotor.

7. In a magneto ignition system for an internal combustion engine of thetype having a crankshaft projecting therefrom and the cylinders'of theengine extending above the engine block and angularly related thereto;an impulse coupling and a magnetic rotor driven therewith mounted on theprojecting portion of said crankshaft,

a breaker and distributor mechanism mounted on the engine above saidcrankshaft and within the space between said cylinders, said mechanismincluding an operating shaft disposed parallel to said crankshaft, a camshaft driven from said engine, an idler gear on one end of said camshaft, and gear means on said rotor and said operating shaft meshed withsaid idler gear for driv- References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,938 Woolson Feb. 8, 1927 1,989,941 McLaneFeb. 5, 1935 2,605,753 Madle Aug. 5, 1952

